November is here, and with it comes playoff football. There are no second chances now, as winning is the only way to keep your season alive.
This week, Decatur (8-2) and Fort Payne (8-2) meet for just the second time ever (most recently in 1948) in our Big Game Friday Night Playoff Game of the Week.
“We know that going into this game — just like every playoff game — that if you don’t play well, you don’t win. It’s just that simple in the playoffs, and so we're gonna have to play really, really well, and we know that,†Wildcats head coach Chris Elmore said. “It takes you about 20 seconds, when you watch film, to realize these guys are really, really good.â€
Elmore has led Fort Payne into the playoffs in all five seasons he’s served as head coach. This year, he feels the defense has been the catalyst for their success.
“That's been the thing that has allowed us to maintain this season, so to speak, and continue to play well,†he explained. “It’s been a team thing, a team effort, but definitely our defense and our linebackers, in particular, have been very solid for us.â€
Over in Decatur, the Red Raiders are bouncing back from what’s been a rough few years, posting their first winning record since 2018. Jere Adcock, who’s been head coach since 1996, said their formula remains the same.
“We're the same team, same kids, doing the same thing, coaches coaching the same way, but we’re a little older, we’ve got a little more experience, a little bit more confidence about us, and that’s helping a lot,†Adcock said.
Adcock has had a lot of fun watching this group mature and find success. Now, he’s emphasizing that they do the little things right as they search for a November win.
“We’ve had some struggles around here, and we’ve fought through it, and I think things are headed back in the right direction,†he said.
Both squads are searching for their first playoff win of the 2020s. We’ll see who can get it Friday night.
